Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 24, 2026 and October 4, 2026.
Washington County, Iowa, has about 23,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Washington County depends on where the incident happened: the Washington County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the sheriff's reports, the cities' reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Washington County public records, Washington County arrest records, Washington County warrants, Washington County inmate search, Washington County criminal records, Iowa arrest records and Iowa inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Washington County
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
In Washington County that is the Washington County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
Reports from the Washington County Sheriff's Office
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 19 violent and 34 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 190 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 319-653-2107. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its jail page, at washingtoncounty.iowa.gov/m/directory/department?did=6 (page title: Staff Directory, Sheriff), phone 319-653-2107, 2181 Lexington Boulevard P.O. Box 6 Washington, IA 52353, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on October 4, 2026.
Reports from the City Agencies in Washington County
The one city the FBI lists in Washington County with a reporting agency of its own:
- Washington: 24 violent and 90 property crimes reported for 2025; 176 arrests reported for 2025.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
How Many Reports: Washington County in 2025
The two agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 43 violent and 124 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
Together, the two agencies in Washington County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 366 arrests to the FBI that year, and each arrest is a report of its own.
What the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) Requires
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) the agency must answer a request without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified, and it may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval. The request goes to the agency that holds the report, in writing, and does not have to say why the report is wanted.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the County Attorney, 319-653-7784, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Washington County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Washington County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) the answer is due without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified.
How long does an agency in Washington County have to answer?
Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22), without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified. It may charge the actual cost of copying and retrieval.
How do I get a report from the Washington County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 319-653-2107. Under the Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) the answer is due without delay; the law sets no fixed number of days, and a delay past 20 days must be justified.
Is this the official Washington County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.